SAA announces acting CEO

JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways (SAA) has announced that it has appointed Zuks Ramasia has its acting CEO while it looks for a permanent replacement.

Ramasia was previously general manager: operations.

The board made the announcement at a briefing on Friday. The briefing was held to provide an update on the state of the national carrier following the resignation of its CEO Vuyani Jarana last week. It said that Jarana would no longer be the CEO as of Monday although he would stay on until the end of August.

In his resignation letter, Jarana highlighted several key issues at the state-owned enterprise.

According to his resignation letter to SAA board chairperson JB Magwaza, Jarana unpacked how uncertainty about funding and slow decision-making processes were delaying the airline’s turnaround strategy.

“The strategy is being systemically undermined, and as the Group Chief Executive Officer, I can no longer be able to assure the board and the public that the LTTS (long term turnaround strategy) is achievable,” he said.

Jarana said he was prepared to work a three-month notice period until August 31.

SAA also announced that it would institute an investigation into how Jarana’s resignation letter was leaked as the document had been in a “very secure space”.

The board had since decided to hold its most recent meeting to discuss SAA and the new interim CEO off site for fear of leaks. Fin24